London, July 15 – Indian captain Shubman Gill praised his team’s resilience and the fighting spirit of the lower order after a nail-biting loss to England in the Lords Test. India fell just 22 runs short of victory in a thrilling match that went deep into the final session on day five.
India started the final day in a precarious position, having lost seven wickets for just 82 runs while still needing 111 more for victory. However, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja led a spirited counterattack, forging crucial partnerships with Nitish Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammad Siraj worth 30, 35, and 23 runs respectively, pushing India within touching distance of an unlikely win.
As per agency report, Gill hailed Jadeja as one of India’s most dependable players, noting his fourth consecutive fifty of the series and his composed innings where he scored 61 of India’s 99 runs over 30 overs. Gill highlighted that the team had previously discussed the importance of lower-order contributions and credited the fight and determination shown by the tail-enders.
Reflecting on the match, Gill admitted that India lost momentum with the bat during the last two days, especially after a collapse on day four that saw India slump to 58 for 4 by stumps. Despite a promising stand between KL Rahul and Karun Nair, the early dismissals—including Gill himself and nightwatchman Akash Deep—left India with an uphill task on the final day.
Gill felt that a couple of partnerships in the top order might have eased the pressure and turned the game in India’s favor. He said that India believed the 192-run target was achievable if they had survived the initial 20 to 25 overs without heavy damage.
Addressing the on-field tension between the two sides during the match, Gill remarked that a bit of verbal exchange is natural in intense contests and should not be mistaken for hostility. He emphasized that mutual respect between the teams remains intact and will continue in future encounters.
With England now leading the series 2-1, Gill reflected on India’s overall performance, suggesting that they had played better cricket on most days. However, he acknowledged that the sessions they did lose, they lost badly, and stressed the need to minimize damage during difficult phases of the game. He concluded by saying that despite the loss, the team gave their all over the five days and could take pride in their effort.
